A pyrene derivative-SDS assemblies-Cu2+ based ternary sensor system was built.
The ternary system is highly sensitive to arginine and lysine in aqueous solution.
The sensor shows the lowest detection limits of Arg (5.2 nM) and Lys (14.6 nM).
The sensor displays dual responsive signals of “excimer-off” and “monomer-on”.
Two different mechanisms occur to sensing different concentrated amino acids.